The Delta independent., 1887-04-12
AN ANTARCTIC JOURNEY.
The Voyage of the Pagoda in tn
Icy Seas OF the South RECALL
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Icy Seas OF the South RECALL
ed by a Survivor.
As one of the few survivors of the
Antarctic expedition of 1845, my atten-
ton has been called to a recent discus
sion in the British association. and to q
report advocating a renewal of south
polar exploration, says contributor to
The London Standard. So many years
have elapsed since the voyage of the
Pagoda in those icy seas that the great
extent of perilous navigation and high
scientific work achieved in that expedi-
ton appear to have been overlooked by
some of the speakers on the subject.
Yet the Pagoda in two months COM
pleted successfully one-third of the
Antarctic circumference between the
meridians Of Greenwich and 10 de-
grees east longitude. and between the
latitudes of 60 degrees and 20 degrees
south-that is to say, the Polar sea
directly south of the Indian ocean, for
a distance of more than five thousand
miles.
Sir James Ross had few years be-
fore explored the other two-thrds of
the Antarctic ocean in the memorable
three summers voyage of tho Erebus
and Terror. In 1874, at the recon-
mendation of the Royal society. the
admiralty ordered suitable vessel to be
obtained and fitted out at the Cape of
Good Hope for the purpose. The late
Admiral Sir Charles Eden. then captain
Of the flagship Winchester, selected .
barque, the Pagoda, hired her for six
months. and manned her from the
officers and men Of the flagship. Com
mander (afterward AdmiraD T. L.
Moore, an experienced Antarctic navi-
gator. having served four years with
Ross, was sent out from England to
take command, and Lieut. (since Gen.
Henry Clark. r. A., then in charge of
the magnetic observatory at the cape,
was directed to embark, to superintend
the scientific observations. which were
cheerfully undertaken by the officers of
the ship. Terrestrial magnetism and
meteorology were the main objects of
the expedition. SO as to supplement the
the uncompleted work of Sir James
Ross, and embrace the entire circle OF
those remote and little-known seas.
Proceeding from the Cape OF Good
Hope to so degrees south latitude, we
sailed southeast. and traversed 100 de-
grees of longitude, seldom without see
ing ice, and most often in a sea crowded
with enormous icebergs, which appear
to be more numerous and of greater di-
mensions, especially between 80 and 100
degrees east longitude, than in any part
of the world. We crossed the Antarctic
circle in longitude 81 degrees east on
the 9Th of February, 1s45, but had to
recross it on the 18th. having been
brought up in latitude 6S degrees by
heavy pack ice, forming an impenetra-
BILE wall forbiddng all further approach
to the pole. Winds also. which were
fair to the northward of the circle. were
now adverse. rendering sailing slow
and hazardous; and in calms the sea
water temperature Of 20 degrees Fahren-
heit and the pancake ice around the ship
gave warning of the extreme peril Of
our position. Galos and snow-storms
were of frequent occurrence the nearer
we approached the land which. doubt
less exists throughout the Antarctic cir
cumference. but which, except in open
summers. is. probably. very rarely ac-
cessible. We saw large icebergs as far
north as So degrees south latitude, in
the longitude of the Cape Of Good Hope.
and as 81 degrees south latitude. in the
longitude of west Australia. But they
are most abundant from tho Goth paral-
lei to the 65th. The most lofty we saw
was about 1SO feet high; the largest
were three miles lorg. with an average
height of 100 feet. Their sides were
preci2itous, and washed by tremen-
dous surf.
With steamers attempts to penetrate
to this mysterious land might prove
successful, and our Australian colo
nies appear to be the proper nursery Of
such expeditions. The Pagoda would
seem to be a good model for imitation.
for its voyage. although terribly haz-
ardous, was completely successful as to
its objects. both nautical and scientific,
and fitted out. as described near the
scene of operations. it was compare
lively inexpensive. Full details Of the
observations in terrestrial magnetism.
meteorology. and nautical science are
to be found in the Royal society's
transactions for 1876, and popular
account Of the voyage appeared in The
United Service Magazine for June.
1850. England has always taken the
lead in Antarctic rs in other difficult
navigation. The illustrious Cook thrice
passed the Antarctic circle. and reach.
ed, in February, 1774. the latitude Of
II degrees; Weddell, in 1928. reached
"a degrees; Biscoe, in 1881. saw land
in 81 degrees, and Sir John Ross, in
1841. was 80 fortunate as to penetrate
to rs degrees, and see the distant
mountains of Erebus and Terror.
Moore, in the Pagoda, in 1S45 attained
the utmost practical limit of that sea-
son-6S degrees. and the Challenger, a
few years ago, although rather late in
the summer reached nearly to 66 de-